1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to suspended ceiling grid structures and, more particularly, to a wall angle employed in suspended ceiling grid structures and which incorporates various measurement indicia schemes including, in particular, indentation and/or punch-out portions corresponding to the measurement scheme employed with the wall angle. The measurement indicia schemes incorporated into the wall angle according to the instant invention provide the combined feature of wall stud location, main suspended runner and hanger wire location and vertical height xe2x80x9cstory polexe2x80x9d location and which enable proper location of a grid structure.
The further preferred variant of the measurement indicia scheme discloses sectioning portions of the wall angle corresponding to the distance markings and without sacrificing the structural integrity of the wall angle. The present invention further contemplates utilizing a diamond hole, round punch, triangular punch or other suitable implement to indent or section portions of the wall angle in order to provide the necessary indicia representations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Suspended structures for creating ceiling grids are fairly well known in the art, the concept behind such structures being to provide suspended support for ceiling tiles. The tiles are typically rectangular shaped and acoustically insulating in nature and function to recreate a uniform and xe2x80x9cdroppedxe2x80x9d ceiling appearance to an interior enclosure with an unfinished ceiling, such enclosures including commercial building interiors, as well as basement ceilings in residential dwellings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,802, issued to Vukmanic, discloses one known arrangement of suspended ceiling system and runner and which is characterized by each of the runners being composed of a first member and a cap member. The first member is bent to form an inverted T-bar configuration with a groove extending inwardly from the flange of the T and the cap member having the same configuration and being secured on the flange of the T-bar configuration to form a channel with flange portions on each side for supporting panels of the ceiling system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,350, also issued to Vukmanic, discloses a centering arrangement for T members of a suspended ceiling for holding a plurality of panels supported by the runners in a desired position on the flanges of the runners. The centering arrangement includes a bump extending from each side of a cross sectional web profile of the runner, the bump being formed in the web immediately adjacent a cut in the runner so that the drawing of the material into the bump will not draw material from the flange or adjacent thereto. The bump shape is preferably xe2x80x9chalf-moonxe2x80x9d or semi-circular in configuration and so that it provides a smooth camming surface for both lateral movement of the panel along the flange as well as vertical movement towards the flange.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,973, again issued to Vukmanic, teaches a suspended ceiling system again teaching main runners and cross runners which are inter-engageable to define a rectangular grid system. Suitably configured and elongated apertures are formed in the webbed profile of the main runners in axially spaced apart fashion and which receive an appropriately configured connecting end of selected cross runners and so that the cross runners are engaged to the main runner in mutually engaging fashion and on opposite sides thereof.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,104, issued to Beck et al., teaches a suspended ceiling wall angle including a conventional inverted xe2x80x9cTxe2x80x9d ceiling runner structure used as a wall angle molding for a suspended ceiling system. Appropriate spacing means are utilized adjacent the vertical web of the inverted T runner to space the vertical web from a vertical wall so that the runner may be mounted in position with its horizontal flanges in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the wall.
Additional examples of suspended ceiling grid systems are illustrated by the likes of U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,239, issued to Sauer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,703, issued to Platt; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,246, issued to Ziegler.
The present invention is a wall angle construction for use in installing a suspended ceiling grid structure within an interior enclosure which is an improvement over the prior art in that the wall angle can be employed in any one of a number of different measuring and marking applications to dramatically decrease the length of time necessary to install the suspended ceiling structure. Specifically, the wall angle of the present invention may be utilized on lieu of the standard measuring tape in order to quickly and effectively establish highly accurate measurements for such as the location of main grid runners and hanger wire, the marking of stud locations along each of the walls defining the interior enclosure and the establishing of a desired and overall height and/or length of the grid structure (including positioning of 4xe2x80x2 tees).
The wall angle defines an elongated body having, in cross section, an angled profile with a first side and a second side extending from an interconnecting edge with the first side. The wall angle is further preferably constructed of a durable and resilient material, such as a lightweight steel, and is typically provided in twelve foot lengths. A first series of markings are placed at selected one foot length intervals along the body and for marking first iterative locations for engagement of the main runners and hanger wires (4xe2x80x2 tees). The markings are preferably inscribed along both the first and second sides of the body and exhibit a selected and alternating color scheme to better assist the installer in visualizing and identifying the correct location of the main ceiling grid runners.
A second series of markings are placed at second selected intervals, typically at either sixteen or twenty-four inches, and define locations for engaging the wall angle to the vertically extending studs forming a part of the wall structure. A third series of markings are placed at third selected intervals along the body and assist in such as the establishing of an overall height to the suspended grid structure. The third series of markings may include cut-out or incised portions which permit the application of a marking indicia and so that the wall angle may be employed as a xe2x80x9cstory polexe2x80x9d to set the height of the drop ceiling grid structure and to determine the height and position at which a laser level may be established at a location where a four foot (4xe2x80x2) tee does not fall or interfere with the laser, as well as establishing parallel wall locations for affixing further lengths of wall angle and the main grid runners.
It is also contemplated that a fourth series of markings may be employed at fourth selected intervals, such preferably being six inch increments between each foot marker corresponding to the first series of markings. Further, the wall angle may be provided as a substantially flattened blank and prior to a bending operation in which it acquires its angular configuration.
An additional variant of the measurement indicia scheme discloses, as an alternative to using ink jet print, paint or other colorized or indicia type marking, sectioning portions of the wall angle corresponding to the distance markings and doing so without sacrificing the structural integrity of the wall angle. The present invention further contemplates utilizing a diamond hole, round punch, triangular punch or other suitable implement to indent or section portions of the wall angle in order to provide the necessary indicia representations and such stamping, punching or sectioning operation can be incorporated into a conventional line for manufacturing the wall angle.